Andrew Kennedy is an eager, bright-eyed lover: the bloom and the tenderness of the middle range of his voice, in particular, knows just how to bring a luxuriant Straussian intimacy to a song such as 'Seitdem dein Aug' in meines Schaute.

Hyperion is an old hand at programming attractively playable discs that make up complete Lied editions. Kennedy's selection has the earlier material, with the Opp 17 and 32 groups given complete. Strauss's choice of poets at this stage in his Lied career may not have been as sophisticated as it became but he never chose a text that didn't inspire a clear musical portrait. Especially well pointed are two Des Knaben Wunderhorn songs ('Himmelsboten' and the droll love-onthe- cheap story of 'Für fünfzehn Pfennige') and the dark, serious 'Sehnsucht'. The better-known 'Ständchen' and what Roger Vignoles's notes call the 'ebullient barnstormer' 'Heimliche Aufforderung' are placed cunningly within the recital order.
Vignoles's playing continues to achieve a maximum of freshness and invention and a chameleon- like closeness to his singer's tone and line. Kennedy's voice is young, sweet, fluent and has what some commentators call 'sap'. Greater naturalness (and especially inwardness) will come in his live and later performances of this repertoire. In the meantime, a lot of work and study has gone into this disc and the readings attain a consistently high standard of beautiful music-making.

Vignoles's playing continues to achieve a maximum of freshness and invention… Kennedy's voice is young, sweet, fluent and has what some commentators call "sap". A lot of work and study has gone into this disc and the readings attain a consistently high standard of beautiful music-making.